The present invention relates to an electronic tag device included within a core around which is wrapped a flexible material such as a textile, cloth, or the like.
Conventionally, when information regarding the material, price and the like of an item is to be printed on items sold at retail, it is printed on a separate piece of paper known as a tag which is attached to the item. When this type of tag is made out of paper, it is necessary to perform the work of producing it and printing the price and the like thereon, and it is difficult to read. Thus, in recent years paper tags are being converted to electronic tags that can be electronically processed, as shown in FIG. 11. Because information is recorded thereon by means of an electronic device, the information is easy to read and does not easily disappear. This has a big effect on the ability of store employees to confirm sales by means of an electronic device, and to easily calculate the amount of sales.
FIG. 11 shows fabric 60, and a core 61 which is a thin square tube formed from paper. An electronic tag 20 is attached to fabric 60. Electronic tag 20 is, for example, an IC board and a cover formed from a polymer resin. Electronic tag 20 is attached to fabric 60 or core 62 by means of a thin cord 62. Because a consumer can look at the numbers and simple words printed on electronic tag 20, he or she will make a judgment with regard to the material, quantity, and price of the fabric and decide whether or not to purchase it.
FIG. 12 is an oblique view showing the gist of a fabric roll price distinguishing device, which can, in a short period of time, identify different types of fabric rolls having electronic tags attached thereto but stored one on top of each other. In FIG. 12, 20 is a plurality of electronic tags, 71 is an antenna for reading the tags, and 65 is a plurality of fabric rolls that each have an electronic tag 20 attached thereto. The plurality of fabric rolls 65 are arranged and stored in container 68, and disposed on top of antenna 71.
Antenna 71 emits signals from an electronic processing device such as a personal computer (not shown) toward electronic tags 20. The data written onto electronic tags 20 separately respond to antenna 71 with a sequential response signal which contains data for separately identifying electronic tags 20.
This sequential response signal contains information on the type of fabric roll, its price, and the like, and thus by using the electronic processing device and electronic tags in which previous data is electronically recorded thereon, things like the condition and cost of a plurality of fabric rolls can be distinguished.
FIG. 13 shows a situation in which data relating to fabric 60 is requested, and the fabric 60 is wound around a cylindrical core 61 with an electronic tag 20 attached thereto. Further, FIG. 14 shows a plurality of similarly shaped fabric rolls and cores/electronic tags stacked one on top of each other, and a state in which the electronic tags will be read in a short period of time. In FIG. 14, 20 is an electronic tag, the square flat board 71 is a tag reading antenna, 61 and 63 are cores, 65 and 66 are a plurality of fabric rolls, and 68 is a container. Data signals are sent and received between antenna 71 and electronic tags 20 in the same manner as that shown in FIG. 12. Thus, the entire group can be distinguished in a short period of time in the same manner as that shown in FIG. 12.
The electronic tag data reading device shown in FIGS. 12 and 14 has a variety of weaknesses. That is, because the antenna is in a fixed position, there is a difference in the sensitivity of the signals that antenna 71 can receive due to the position of the electronic tags. Because of this, in order for the data from a large number of electronic tags to be received without error, it is necessary to divide the antenna coil, and to position the electronic tags as close as possible to the antenna.
FIG. 15 shows the relationship between the position of the antenna coil, the coils of the electronic tags, and the lines of electric flux emitted therefrom. In FIG. 15, 72 is an antenna coil, 73 is an electric tag coil closest to the antenna coil, 74 is an electric tag coil in a position slightly apart from the antenna coil, and 75 is an electronic tag coil furthest away from the antenna coil. In addition, 80 are the electric lines of flux emanating from antenna coil 72.
As shown in FIG. 15, tag coil 73 is in a position closest to antenna coil 72 when compared with those of tag coils 74 and 75. Because the coil surface of the coil tag is parallel with the coil surface of the antenna coil, the largest number of lines of electric flux 80 intersect with the coil surface of tag coil 73 compared to that of tag coils 74 and 75. Said another way, the lowest number of lines of electric flux 80 intersect with tag coils 74 and 75.
Tag coils 74 and 75 are separated by the same distance from the antenna coil. However, there are a smaller number of lines of electric flux that intersect with the coil surface of tag coil 75 because it is orthogonal with respect to the coil surface of the antenna coil.
Because the distance that tag coils 74 and 75 are separated from the antenna coil, and their angle with respect thereto, is larger than that of tag coil 73, antenna coil 72 needs to enlarge the signal strength with respect to tag coils 74 and 75.
In FIG. 14, because the electronic tags are attached to one end of core 61, the distance between the plurality of electronic tags 20 and the antenna 71 is generally fixed. However, because another core 63 has an electronic tag 20 attached in exactly the opposite position, it is much further away from antenna 71 and it is necessary to enlarge the signal strength.
In order to avoid this situation, when fabric rolls 65 are placed in container 68, they must be carefully placed so that the electronic tags 20 are all in the same position. However, this greatly lowers work efficiency.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to improve the aforementioned weaknesses and make the most of the features of electronic tags by providing an electronic tag device that can easily and reliably distinguish a group of large flexible items with electronic tags attached.
In one embodiment, the electronic tag device is equipped with an inner tube having a built-in electronic tag, an outer tube within which the inner tube is disposed such that can move in the lengthwise direction, and a reading device for reading data recorded on the aforementioned electronic tag. When the two tubes are viewed in a plane orthogonal to a common longitudinal axis, the cross section of the inner tube is preferably complementary to that of the outer tube such that an outer surface of the inner tube is surrounded by a similarly shaped internal surface of the outer tube and the inner tube is constrained to move inside the outer tube along said common axis.
In another embodiment, the electronic tag device incased an outer tube defining a hollow interior space inside which the electronic tag is free to rotate to a predetermined orientation, and a reading device for reading data recorded on the electronic tags.
Alternatively, the electronic tag device may include an inner tube member in which the electronic tag can move in a fixed direction, an outer tube having a hollow interior in which the inner tube member is free to rotate, and a reading device for reading data recorded on the electronic tag.
In regard to the electronic tag, an antenna of the reading device is preferably provided in the vicinity of one end of the outer tube. To facilitate the proper positioning of the tag at the end of the outer tube relative to the antenna, a weight may be provided within the inner tube. Alternatively, the inner tube may be filled with a liquid of a slightly high specific gravity so that the electronic tag floats inside.
When there is just one outer tube, the reading device may easily be positioned near the position of the electronic tag inside, When a plurality of outer tubes are lined up, it is easy to arrange them so that the distances between the electronic tags and the reading device opposite thereto are all uniform.
Because the electronic tag is freely moveable with respect to the outer tube, by tilting a single outer tube as is, or a group of outer tubes lined up together, the electronic tag can move freely therein and will be even with one end thereof. Thus, even if the power emissions in a reading device for reading data recorded on an electronic tag are not exceptionally large, the electronic tag can be read accurately and reliably in the tilted position.
Thus, when rolls of fabric are lined up, even if the direction and position of the attached electronic tags with respect to the antenna is initially uneven, the tags can be effectively and appropriately used.